posted at 12:41 pm on April 8, 2013 by Ed Morrissey

This one earns the coveted Duke University triple facepalm, the highest honor we can award for self-beclowning. An Army Reserve training class attempted to instruct soldiers on the various extremist groups of the world, dutifully noting al-”Quaeda,” with which the US armed forces are at war, and Hamas, which the State Department lists as a terrorist organization. Both of those, however, come below a couple of extremist groups so fringe that only about 60 million Americans count themselves among their ranks:

A slideshow presentation shown to US Army Reserve recruits classifies Christians, including both evangelicals and Roman Catholics, as religious extremists, placing them in the same category as skinheads, the Ku Klux Klan, Hamas and Al Qaeda.

The presentation also warned that members of the military are prohibited from taking leadership roles in any organization the Pentagon considers ‘extremist,’ and from distributing the organization’s literature, whether on or off a military installation.

The opening slide warns that ‘the rise in hate crimes and extremism outside the military may be an indication of internal issues all [armed] services will have to face.’

Citing a Southern Poverty Law Center report as evidence that extremism is on the rise, the Army Reserve presentation blames ‘the superheated fears generated by economic dislocation, a proliferation of demonizing conspiracy theories,the changing racial make-up of America and the prospect of 4 more years under a black president who many on the far right view as an enemy to their country.’

The Archdiocese for the Military Services, a Catholic organization that trains and endorses military priests and chaplains, said in a release that it was “astounded that Catholics were listed alongside groups that are, by their very mission and nature, violent and extremist.”

The AMS called on the Pentagon “to review these materials and to ensure that tax-payer funds are never again used to present blatantly anti-religious material to the men and women in uniform.”

An Army spokesperson said the presentation “was produced by an individual without anyone in the chain of command’s knowledge or permission.” The Army removed the offending slide after receiving complaints.

The person responsible for the presentation, the spokesperson said, “was not a subject matter expert, and produced the material after conducting Internet research.”

“Not a subject matter expert”? No kidding, but that doesn’t explain everything. Why was he or she assigned to train reserves on extremism in the first place? Shouldn’t the lack of expertise prompted the Army Reserves to exercise more supervision over its instructor? Few organizations are as relentlessly hierarchical as the military, and someone in the chain of command appears to have acted … irresponsibly.

When I first saw the headline, I assumed it must all be a little less obviously bone-crushingly stupid or at any rate more nuanced once you got into the story. But I invite you to look at the accompanying poster for the Equal Opportunity training brief issued by the Army Reserve in Pennsylvania. It lists “extremist” groups, starting with “Evangelical Christianity” at Number One, “Al Quaeda” (misspelled under any Roman rendering of Arabic) at Number Five, “Hamas” at Six, and “Catholicism” rounding out the Top Ten.

Think of the number of people involved in the creation, printing and distribution of this graphic — and along the way not one of them stopped to say, “Hey, this is totally dumb.”

One does have to be amused, however, at the last entry on the list — “Islamophobia”. That follows a half-dozen references to various Islamist groups, including one that the Obama administration is currently attempting to engage (the Muslim Brotherhood), and “Sunni Muslims” — without any other qualifiers. I imagine the Shi’ites appreciate that conclusion, but since there are over 1.6 billion Muslims around the world and Sunnis comprise 75%-90% of them (according to Pew), isn’t that inclusion “Islamophobia” in and of itself?

“Totally dumb” is letting everyone connected to this training seminar off too easily.

Blowback

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Non-story I bet. I strongly suspect this was a “discussion” slide about what extremism actually means, which would be in line with presentations I’ve received before. The jist is usually “extremists can come from anywhere” not “OMG ALL RELIGION ARE TURRURISTS!”

The Federal bureaucrats and now Napolitano have been defining Americans as the enemy of America for years now. It is a bit bizarre and high time for the normal institutions mentioned to take legal action and identify the exact source of these inclusions. There will be a name. One similar FBI list was authored by a CAIR member.

If you’ve ever read the teachings of Jesus Christ in the Gospels, and the remaining books of the New Testament, then you know that, if you are a Christian, you will be mocked, denigrated, reviled and hated.

Actually, they were a lot more specific about Mormons — the slide only cites the Fundamentalist LDS, the Warren Jeffs splinter and similar fringies, which mainstream Mormons have long disavowed. It makes the broad inclusion of evangelicals and Catholics even more offensive.

Just for the record, the “Morman” group they listed is 1) not The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, or the group that most people think of when they think of Mormons. The group they listed is an old offshoot that the regular church has denounced.

That said, the Fundamentalist group hasn’t ever bombed anything either, and the only threat they’ve posed to anything has been to the prosecutors (a threat of hard work) who are trying to stamp out some child abuse. That group is imploding anyway.

I also quibble as not being listed as “Christen” but considering the level of intelligence shown it’s not a big deal.

I have a question: Isn’t the “Army of God” they list as Christian the official name of the Salvation Army?

Non-story I bet. I strongly suspect this was a “discussion” slide about what extremism actually means, which would be in line with presentations I’ve received before. The jist is usually “extremists can come from anywhere” not “OMG ALL RELIGION ARE TURRURISTS!”

That being said, it’s a pretty silly presentation.

ctwelve on April 8, 2013 at 12:45 PM

No, that wasn’t the case at all. This presenter specifically said that these groups were extremists not that extremists could come from these groups. When asked why she put evangelicals and Catholics on the list; that she wasn’t an expert and that she got the list from the Southern Poverty Law Center.

She was not trying to make a case that extremist comes from all groups. She was saying that these groups were extremists.

Quote: Army spokesman George Wright told Fox News that the briefing happened last year and is just now coming to light.

This was an “isolated incident not condoned by the Dept. of the Army,” he said.

“This slide was not produced by the Army and certainly does not reflect our policy or doctrine,” he said. “It was produced by an individual without anyone in the chain of command’s knowledge or permission.”

Wright said after the complaint was lodged, the presenter deleted the slide, and apologized.

I’m not even sure there is such a think as a Christian Extremist. That’s an oxymoron.

dogsoldier on April 8, 2013 at 1:08 PM

Most people labeled as such are about as Christian as liberals are for free markets. Lip-service only. The handful of actual nutters (like the snake handlers) are so small they are literally a rounding error in calculations.

How is Islamophoobia “religious extemism?” And if we are putting whole religions up there for extremism; why wasn’t Islam up there. I mean I would bet dollars to donuts that Islam followers have killed a lot more people last year than Evangelicals and Catholics combined.

Open source reporting of wartime ammunition shortages has likely spurred
rightwing extremists—as well as law-abiding Americans—to make bulk purchases of
ammunition. These shortages have increased the cost of ammunition, further
exacerbating rightwing extremist paranoia and leading to further stockpiling activity.

Actually, they were a lot more specific about Mormons — the slide only cites the Fundamentalist LDS, the Warren Jeffs splinter and similar fringies, which mainstream Mormons have long disavowed. It makes the broad inclusion of evangelicals and Catholics even more offensive.

Ed Morrissey on April 8, 2013 at 12:58 PM

I don’t purport to know much about the Hutterites. But I see that Montana is suing them to corral them into its workers’ compensation program.

The jist is usually “extremists can come from anywhere” not “OMG ALL RELIGION ARE TURRURISTS!”

That being said, it’s a pretty silly presentation.

ctwelve on April 8, 2013 at 12:45 PM

Okay, name one religious extremist coming out of the Catholic faith (this side of the crusades).

And I notice everybody is okay talking about the KKK and Fundamentalist Morons but keeping well clear of Nation of Islam or the Jewish Defense League (which by its inclusion means that CAIR should also be added to the list).

This is what the LEFT really believes. No doubt that the slide was prepared by some leftist zealot who watches MSDNC every night. That’s all they are, depraved degenerates that celebrate death and rape. More recently the head of Planned Parenthood found it moral and legal to continue an abortion on an innocent life had the child been aborted alive or accidentally birth.

This is the type malevolence we face in our battles against the left. They have no moral code and are perfectly giddy to snuff a live if that life thinks differently than their own beliefs.

Liberals are vile cancers that spread to all areas of life to an eventual but slow agonizing death. Celebrating death and rape and violence is all these people know. They’re merely government sanctioned terrorists. Nothing more.

Wow! There are only 12 million Jews in the whole world and we still made 3 of the top 18! That’s pretty damn impressive. Muslims only managed to get 5 in the list (6, but minus one for the “islamophobia” crack) and they’ve been in a hot war with all of civilization for some time, now – a millenium plus.

Well … that’s how it goes in the American Socialist Superstate. Can’t say that it’s a surprise.

How about that national divorce, now? I’m tired of being dragged into the third world by a retarded, ineligible dog-eater, who was born and raised a muslim in the largest muslim nation in the world, and his suicidal followers.

“We consider the matter closed,” he said.
It is a non-story, unless proven otherwise…

Le Sigh

Scrumpy on April 8, 2013 at 1:09 PM

Yeah, sure, pal, Mr. Army Spokesperson. The only person who wants to make this into a non-story is you.

Just because this slide was later taken out of the presentation, don’t think for one minute that it was erased from these peoples’ collective memory and don’t think it is not what they really do believe in their heart of hearts.

Someone on the MSNBC thread said it best: the Liberal/Left are not even trying to hide their true intentions any more.

Non-story related quite belatedly by Morrissey. This was a “box-checking” class, and was not anything like Army-wide distribution. And it was corrected swiftly. And we don’t don’t choose the targets, you do through your elected representatives.

And if you’re wondering about “box-checking”, it’s crap you assemble from anywhere as quickly as possible to satisfy required training that everyone knows is irrelevant to the execution of our mission.

“you are white and catholic and male, you are a terrorist and we want your guns and your children belong to the state”

“no they dont, I’m not a terrorist!”

“you are a white tea party conservative and a catholic, you are a terrorist and your children belong to the state, give us your guns or we will arrest you”

“Now wait a second! I’m not a terrorist! and its a lever action rifle for hunting, and they are my kids!”

“you are white tea party conservative catholic living in the south, and you grow your own food and you hunt, therefore You are a terorist. You must turn in your guns and your kids must be given to the state”

“Oh yeah? Well if that’s how you feel, Bring it on you sons of b***hes and I’ll put you in the ground!”

What I’m waiting for is when all chaplains have to toe the politically correct line and preach homosexuality and abortion and all the other “rights” our leftist “betters” have invented. Because I’m pretty sure the LDS church would remove its chaplains from the military before allowing that, and I’m pretty sure lots of other religions would too.

And if our servicemen cannot worship God according to the dictates of their own conscience, why should anyone join it besides liberals?

I’ve heard that it is illegal to distribute any sort of literature promoted by “Hate groups” in the military, at any time, whether on or off duty.

If true, and there is an organized effort to paint Christianity as a “Hate group” then doesn’t that basically state that no member of the military can read the Bible or have one in their possession?

Non-story related quite belatedly by Morrissey. This was a “box-checking” class, and was not anything like Army-wide distribution. And it was corrected swiftly. And we don’t don’t choose the targets, you do through your elected representatives.

And if you’re wondering about “box-checking”, it’s crap you assemble from anywhere as quickly as possible to satisfy required training that everyone knows is irrelevant to the execution of our mission.

You may all calm down now; the victim pose is for Libtards.

M240H on April 8, 2013 at 1:35 PM

You do not find it strange that the Army would allow this to go to press? Every single person who enabled this — and through whose hands it passed without comment — should be subjected to a course on political correctness taught by a card carrying member of the NRA. I’m sure there are more than a few of those in the military whose hands are not stained by having disobeyed any regulation published on the base web site by their Commanding Officer…

Came over when German land agents started pumping up the desirability of mid-western land in the United States — along with a whole passel of Mennonites, Amish, Lutherans, and Catholics of Teutonic extraction.

Was it the same guy who was brainwashing fed employees that the Pilgrims and the Puritans were illegal aliens?

Just curious.

dogsoldier on April 8, 2013 at 1:04 PM

While the Pilgrims and Puritans were not literally illegal aliens, analogizing them to illegal aliens is actually an argument for controlling the border. Until 1565 (St. Augustine) or 1607 (Jamestown), Native Americans controlled the entire contiguous United States. They had no effective means of preventing people from immigrating here from other countries. How did that work out for them? Not very well.

The army has become a joke. It truly is foolish to join considering what is making the decisions these days.

Christians, vets, gun owners, anti-tax protesters have all been labeled as extremists by this administration so you trying to sweep it under the carpet has zero effect. The government, and that includes the military, isn’t far behind the SPLC in labeling any conservative or religious group who disagree with them as a hate group.

The army has become a joke. It truly is foolish to join considering what is making the decisions these days.

Christians, vets, gun owners, anti-tax protesters have all been labeled as extremists by this administration so you trying to sweep it under the carpet has zero effect. The government, and that includes the military, isn’t far behind the SPLC in labeling any conservative or religious group who disagree with them as a hate group.

Daemonocracy on April 8, 2013 at 2:00 PM

Well and not to mention the PC crap that led to Hasan getting as far as he did in the military. My hubby retired in Feb. and I am glad. My 14 year old keeps pushing to join ROTC next year and I just don’t want to encourage the military anymore. I just don’t like the way it is heading.

“We have a common enemy: the white man. And the white man’s system, his way of doing things, his way of operating. That’s what we mean by ‘the white man.’ His military, his planes, his aircraft carriers, his bombs, his missiles, his imperialism, his colonialism, his Zionism. That’s the real enemy, what we call the white man.”

I guess that it was this comment to Richard J Rosendall, an openly gay writer and the former president of the Gay and Lesbian Activists Alliance of Washington, DC, that made the SPLC push him over to the right because, like, everyone on the left is pro-gay…

Of course, I later learned that the military preparers did, in fact, get their information from the fear-mongers at the SPLC.

They cannot even distinguish between religions, denominations and organisations.

Catholicism is a denomination. DoD has condemned more than 1 billion people. Islam is a religion, but it isn’t condemned.

Evangelical Christianity is a type of Christianity found in various denominations, including Catholicism.

Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and Ultra-Orthodox Judaism are sects. They aren’t religions, denominations, terrorist organisations, or religious-political- cultural-economic organisations.

Sunni Islam is a branch of Islam – a denomination, so to speak. So is Shia Islam, but it is not listed. Why? The Iranians are, primarily, Shia. I guess that they didn’t want to upset those nuclear talks that blew up anyway.

The Muslim Brotherhood is neither a religion nor a denomination. It is a religious, political, cultural and economic organisation.

The KKK, Hutaree, and Christian Identity are white supremacist organisations, not religions or denominations.

The Nation of Islam is neither a religion nor a denomination. It is a religious, political, cultural and economic organisation.

I have some advice for the religious of all faiths in the US…and those that support them…and I AM SAYING THIS AS AN ATHEIST: You need to take time off of work, get off of the sofa, and get your asses to Washington. A ‘Million Man March’? Pffft! You need to put so many bodies in DC that there is SRO in Northern Virginia and Maryland. You CANNOT allow this administration to get away with equating you to Al Qaeda and Hamas…and DO NOT BACKDOWN EVEN IF OBAMA APOLOGISES.

The administration cannot be allowed to get away with it nor can this type of mentality be met with a ‘Meh,’ This is not abortion or SSM…even people of faith can have honest, legitimate, heartfelt disagreements on those topics. This is our government labelling whole denominations as terrorists.

Catholics are the same as Al Qaeda?

Evangelical Christians are the same as members of Hamas?

Ultra-Orthodox Jews are the same as members of KKK?

Fundamentalist Mormons are the same as members of Muslim Brotherhood?

The Pope is the same as Osama bin Laden?

It is soooo fvcking absurd, ignorant, hateful, and bordering on TREASONOUS BEHAVIOUR in my — albeit very p1ssed off — opinion.

The Hutts are kinda like Amish lite. They dress much the same but drive cars. They have a commercial farm and sell really great tasting chickens and turkeys, veggies and ummmmm good bread. They mind their own business which our current governor can’t seem to do.

Crap training is something like “History of Artillery Grease: The Molykote Chronicles”.

Is this an honest error? I think not. The presenter starts off by saying that he/she is not an SME, yet was permitted to stand in front of Army officers and instruct them on religious extremism. What’s up with that?

The Hutts are kinda like Amish lite. They dress much the same but drive cars. They have a commercial farm and sell really great tasting chickens and turkeys, veggies and ummmmm good bread. They mind their own business which our current governor can’t seem to do.

There is an all-out war on the sanctity of the Catholic / Christian faith in this country.

Don’t ever mistake liberal progressives for anything other than who they TRULY are – radical communists. They are on the verge of changing the paradigm in this country FOREVER, and religious liberty is squarely in their cross hairs.

Given that the Pentagon crapped a brick gazebo and left no stones unturned to deal with offended Muslim sensibilities caused by certain training material, it is interesting to see how much they are downplaying this finger in the eye of Christians.